1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plate for food with a depression in its center, which serves both as a holder for a cup, and as a handle by which the plate can be held in one hand, leaving the other hand free to hold an utensil for eating the food.
2. Description of the Prior Art
At social gatherings where food and drink are served people tend to stand and move about while talking and eating at the same time. As a result, guests are often placed in an awkward position as they attempt to hold a plate in one hand and a cup in the other, leaving themselves with no free hand to pick up the food with a utensil to eat it. The present invention solves this problem, with a plate having a cylindrical depression in its center to hold a cup or glass, so that the other hand of the party goer is free. Whereas the combination of a plate and a cup holder is known, the prior art does not disclose a circular plate for holding food with a depression at its center shaped to hold a cup securely on an upper surface while the lower surface of the depression can be used as a handle to hold the plate in one hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,967, issued to David A. Ercolani, on Jun. 9, 1992, describes a one handed controllable plate and cup holder, with the cup holder placed outside the plate holder.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,940, issued to Victor H. Goulter, on Feb. 15, 1994, describes a folding neck-supported food tray, with a hook for holding the tray around the user's neck, and with a ring for holding a cup placed above the tray.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,871, issued to David F. Gross, Chris A. Mercede, and Brian S. Grant, on Apr. 12, 1994, describes a plate and cup holder formed from folding panels, with the cup holder alongside of the plate holder.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,952, issued to Mark L. Donche, on Oct. 11, 1994, describes an one-handed party and utility plate. The plate slopes downward toward the center, but has a level top surface that divides it into compartments for different kinds of food, with a circular recess in the center for a cup. The recess does not project through the bottom of the plate. A separate handle attached to the bottom of the plate is used to hold the plate by slipping an opened hand of a user between the plate and the handle. As such, the handle fails the user to maintain a firm grip on the plate.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 332,552, issued to C. Richard Lynch, on Jan. 19, 1993, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 334,112, issued to Gary G. Carter, on Mar. 23, 1993, and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 349,212, issued to C. Richard Lynch, on Aug. 2, 1994, each disclose a combined cup and plate holder, with the cup holder alongside the plate holder.
British Patent No. 255,643, issued to Norman Louis Morrison, complete application accepted Jul. 29, 1926, describes a combined plate and saucer, with the saucer alongside the plate.
British Patent No. 266,528, issued to Cube Teapots Limited and Robert Crawford Johnson, complete application accepted Mar. 3, 1927, describes a device for holding a tea-cup and light refreshments, with the tea-cup retained in a recess on one side, and the refreshments retained in a recess on the opposite side.
Canadian Patent No. 508,205, issued to Arthur G. Goldberg, on Dec. 14, 1954, shows an automatic serving tray, erected by folding several panels together, and when properly folded has three spaces for retaining cups alongside a space for retaining food.
Canadian Patent No. 711,612, issued to Frederick A. Wenzel, on Jun. 15, 1965, describes a service tray, erected by folding several panels together, and when folded has four spaces for retaining cups, two each on opposite sides of a food retaining space.
French Patent No. 1,408,476, issued to Aktiebolaget Electrolux, published Jul. 5, 1965, describes a serving tray with spaces for cups on one side.
British Patent No. 1,204,633, issued to Peter Edward Stoneham and Patricia Kitty Stoneham, published Sep. 9, 1970, describes a flat pack which can be erected to form a tray having cup holders on opposites sides of a food compartment.
German Publication No. 24 26 361 by Keyes Fibre Co., published on Apr. 17, 1975, describes a tray having a pair of cup holders in the center, which do not have depressions projecting through the bottom of the plate so that they may be used to hold the plate.
British Patent No. 2 078 493, issued to Malcolm William Francis Quantrill, published on Jan. 13, 1982, describes a party plate or dish, with a keyhole-shaped slot for a wineglass stem.
German Publication No. 27 53 762 by Heinrich Fichte, published on Jun. 7, 1979, describes a plate for serving portion-controlled packages resulting in trash materials, which provides a central raised structure for receiving a trash container, but which structure does not protrude beneath the plate.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.